The Shadow Wolf
by RebeccaRoy
Summary: A simple change one cold winters night long ago and Severus Snape grows up in a loving family. The world grows darker but he has the love of his family and friends to pull him through.
1. The Heart Turned

_Disclaimer:_

_I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only. _

_Summary: A simple change one cold winters night long ago and Severus Snape grows up in a loving family. Religious Themes and some dark themes but not too many._

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December 14, 1959: Spinners End, Cokeworth England:

Tobias Snape was a proud man, he would admit to that freely. He was not a very handsome man, his nose was too large, his brown hair though short was lank and greasy. He was tall, think and had the look of a man who worked very hard for a living. Or he had until the mill went on strike and with it now Christmas time he was having to face the fact he was going to end up on the doll. It was for this reason he had sacrificed his beer, something he loved, there was no money for such things now, not with a pregnant wife and a child on the way.

Tobias was seated in the small kitchen of his house, small it may be but it was his, inherited from his father who had died years prior it was something he could give his wife. He looked up at Eileen, a tall thin woman with long raven locks of hair she had tied back from her sallow face and though to many she was no looker to him she was perfect. She did her best to fit into his world and right now was clad in a simple gown blue, a starched white apron, thick stockings and sensible shoes, the mark of a housewife here in Cokeworth. She looked lovely pregnant and he was glad to have her as a wife, and glad he could have helped her and fallen in love with her too.

"Looks as if the mill is going to be on strike for a while." Tobias said.

"Oh?" Eileen said not looking up from her cooking.

"Yea, but we, well we can go on the dole, for a bit mind you." Tobias said, "register our baby and all."

"No." Eileen said.

The room was quiet but for the radio playing Christmas music and Tobias felt his heart sink. But Eileen had been thinking, how Tobias had come along at the right time and took her in when the magical world was too dangerous for her. How he did not care shew as a witch and could do magic. She put the stew on stasis and turned to face him, a kindly look on her face. She took a seat carefully by him and took one of his weathered hands in hers. Such a smart man should not have to work so hard at a job he hated, it was not fair and she knew it killed him inside.

"I saw the bookshop needs someone." Eileen said, "try them first please?"

"But they will not want me, I have nothing to offer them." Tobias replied.

"Yes you do, the mills are not for you Toby, you are better than that work. I know this, you are smart and wasted there." Eileen said, "I believe in you."

"Well, I could try, but if it does not work, well, the dole it is." Tobias replied.

He smiled, a warm smile, this was a turning point for Eileen. She had realized she had been mourning her past life, of balls and such and not paying attention to what she had and what she had was good. She decided to really take care of her family and if, well if that meant her son would end up knowing the muggle world well so be it. Even if he decided that he would not go to magical school.

"Our son will have to be registered though." Eileen said slowly.

"Eh? Thought you were against that?" Tobias said, "what of your world?"

"If, if it is meant to be than it will be, but I can't loose you." Eileen said, "it will be hard mind you but I am willing to see my son live a non-magical life to keep you and him both."

"Eileen, I, I love you so very much." Was all Tobias could say.

What more could he say? Eileen was one of a kind and all the bitterness that had been welling up inside him was fading away. The soulless work that some of those he worked with truly enjoyed but he did not. The same house he grew up in suffocating him, his worry for his wife, all was fading away. Eileen was willing to sacrifice all of her old life, the life she had grown up in, even if it meant her son would not ever know it. All for him, she loved him and he could see that now. He would do right by her, and go and find a job he could do and something he loved. Or at least something that did not suck out his soul.

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York County Hospital: January 09, 1960

Tobias walked into the hospital room his wife was in with their new baby boy. He walked over and saw the tiny bundle in his tired but pleased wife's arms wrapped up warmly in a soft blue blanket. He had a soft tuft of black hair on his little head and looked cute at this age. He yawned a toothless yawn and looked up with newborn blue eyes. Tobias soon found himself with his son in his arms and he smiled at this little boy who he and Eileen would raise the best they could, with lots of love and care.

Tobias had a new job, working at a bookstore as the manager of the place, it was a bit of a walk from home each day but far, far better than the mill ever had been. The strike was still in full swing and instead of having to go on the dole he had been able buy things for his little family, a small cot for his son, baby things, a new dress for his wife for she deserved such a thing. Better food too, more meat and less boxed food in their house, they could afford fresh foods now and they would not starve at all.

"I was thinking Tobias for his middle name." Eileen said. "After you Toby."

"Severus fer the first." Tobias said, "after a saint, good man that saint, helped Christianize England he did."

"And a good thing that, Severus Tobias Snape, I like it." Eileen said smiling, "he will be strong and smart, like his dad."

"Oh I think the smarts go t' you my dear." Tobias said smiling. "What would you say t' a new house? With what I make now we could do it, I could sell the Spinner End house and get us in a better place, there is a plot for sale and Mr. Tine will let us stay over the shop until the house could be built."

"I would like that." Eileen said, "but that house, you grew up in, your father gave it to you, you do not have to build a new one just for me."

"I want to, stay in Cokeworth but start new, never was a nice house, I want better fer you and our boy."

Eileen would not argue, sure the muggle world, the non-magical world was hard to live in at times for her. She still missed the balls and every day magic and the like, she had been a pureblood princess and it was hard to leave that world for this. But looking at the love in Tobias's eyes she knew she was a lucky woman. Her father had saved her soul as the only marriage for one so ugly like her in the magical world was not for love and besides the one man who wanted her there had served dark lords and would expect the same of any child she bore him. No this was far better and she had been petty to think that Tobias and the muggle world were not the best she could do. They were, and money was not the way to gage happiness in life.

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December 25, 1967: Tanners Road, Cokeworth England:

Little Severus Snape was looking forward to Christmas as he did every year. He would get a few good gifts, first his stocking filled with candy, fruit and nuts, then one or two toys and lots of new clothing. This year would be no different and he was up early and out of his room and down the stairs to the living room in a flash as soon as his clock hit six in the morning. He loved this house, his father had helped build it, modern the neighbors called it but Severus loved it. The ground floor was all open, and the house was L shaped with the large living room forming the bottom of the L and the dining room kitchen the top. Huge beams held up the second floor were there were two large secondary bedrooms and one huge master bedroom and bath on that floor, and the talk of the town a second toilet on the ground floor!

Severus was not thinking of the novel home he lived in, a whitewashed brick home with green shutters and slate roof. No he was more interested what was in the living room and hoped this year he had beat his dad into the room on Christmas! He looked around at the two blue sofas, the bookshelves against most of the walls of the large room, the tree that took up a corner, a merry crackling fire and TV and his father seated in his blue wing-backed chair smoking a pipe reading the paper. Severus sighed, he had been beat again! He was not sure how his father did it but knew little boys should be up before parents on Christmas! His father looked up and smiled at his son, he needed a haircut but that could wait as it was not too long and he saw his son was in his new pjs from the night before his black eyes bright with joy.

"Happy Christmas dad!" Severus said grinning.

"Happy Christmas Severus." Tobias said letting Severus give him a big hug.

"Happy Christmas mum!" Severus sand running up to hug his mother.

"Happy Christmas Severus." Eileen said smiling at her little boy.

Severus would be the only child the Snapes would ever be able to have. They wanted more but were unable to have any more and so Severus was a bit spoiled but his parents loved him. To Eileen he and Tobias where her world, she was as good a wife as she could be and had made this cozy house a home filled with love and happiness. They were not rich, not even close but they lived a comfortable middle class life along with other families here. They saved money by growing a large garden in their backyard with Eileen canning, pickling and the like the non-magical way, for the most part.

She still used magic now and again and helped Severus learn to control his accidental magic, he was strong in magic and learned well. Severus was well schooled in both worlds as his father did not mind him learning magic at all as Eileen had done so much for him. His slight fear of magic left him as he saw his wife use it only for good and his son looking to follow her footsteps. The Snape family was odd to be sure but they were a loving family and could not be happier than they were now.

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_So there is that, a new story and the start of something great I think. A few changes here and Severus ends up with a loving home, it takes two to tango as they say and that is what happened here. They are not perfect, who is but here they love each other and Severus too very much._

_Anyway, review please!_


	2. The Alliance

September 1, 1971: Kings Cross Station, London England:

Severus was a thin average height boy and looked healthy and happy as he stood by his parents. He was clad in his school uniform, minus the heavy robe, this was new, now students dressed more in muggle attire as it was clear that the muggle world was making so many advances that they needed to be able to hide in plain sight. Getting students used to wearing muggle clothes was the first step. There was more, several books had come out, most were on the workings of the magical world, how one raised in the muggle world needed to learn how to act, what the laws and government was like, the magical creatures and the magic careers to be had. Seven of these were out and sold very well to all students, not just muggleborn.

There were seven books on muggle things too, from technology and telly shows to history and medical breakthroughs. These books took a very humorous way to explain the muggle world and not only kids liked to read them adults did too. These books stressed that learning of the muggle world did not turn a magical into a muggle but protected the magical world by allowing the magical world to still hide. What better way than to blend in with dress and such? Magical robes and the like would be used for special things, for home and the ministry and for church going and visiting all magical towns and the like. Though no-one knew it, it was Eileen who wrote the books under an assumed name. This, along with Tobias now running five bookstores with tea shops in them (his idea) made them a moderately wealthy family.

"Severus so there you are." Came the voice of one Petunia Evans.

"Petunia, good to see you too!" Severus said glaring at her, but the next minute he grinned at her, "how are you?"

"Fine, looking forward to school" Petunia replied.

"You are heading off as well today right?" Severus asked.

"Yes, St Mary's is suppose to be really good." Petunia replied.

"Sev, Sev!" Lily Evans said running up, "we are going to Hogwarts this is going to be so much fun!"

"It will, though I will miss Petunia."

"As if, I am a boring muggle, you will not miss me, you will forget all about me." Petunia said.

"As if I would, you are really cool, you like Doctor Who as much as I do, anyone who likes Doctor Who is cool!"

Severus meant this, as he was raised by a muggle father and witch mother he was open about both sides. He had met Lily the first day of primary school and they had been friends ever since. It had taken Petunia a bit longer as she saw them as "children" though she was only two years older than they were. She and Severus could argue like brother and sister really but Severus did like her as they had lots in common. Petunia was not as pretty as her sister, she had lovely strawberry blond hair and blue eyes, but was very thin and had a far too long neck on her. Lily was beautiful even at eleven with dark red hair, bright green eyes and pale milky skin with no hint even of freckles, rare on a red head really. She was very girly and Petunia was more, at least she had been a tom-boy but was turning into a woman and putting aside many of her childish ways, all but her intense love of Doctor Who and of course her friendship with a wizard boy by the name of Severus Snape.

"Better get on the train then." Tobias said stiffly, he was not going to show how much he would miss his only child, well one hug would do would, yes indeed, "you do us proud, remember you are a Snape, part of a good family."

"Yes dad, I promise." Severus said turning to his mother.

"Such a good boy, have fun, I will be proud of you no matter where you get sorted." Eileen said, "have a good term."

"I will mum." Severus said.

He got on the train and found a compartment with Lily and helped stow their trunks and opened the window to wave to his parents. Soon the train was on it's way and Severus was on his way to Hogwarts. He took out _The Daily Prophet_ and sighed, despite all the progress in the magical world there was a new terror rising, a new dark lord called Voldemort. Severus thought it was a stupid name and he was stupid too in gaining followers and attacking those he saw as lesser blood. Severus would bet at least a galleon that he was one of the inbreed idiots as his mum called them hell-bent on destroying everything around them.

"Stupid dark lord." Severus muttered, "why can't he just go and stuff himself?"

"I agree, but who cares about some stupid dark lord, we are going to learn magic!" Lily said grinning and looking so happy.

"True that." Severus said.

"What house you think you will be in?" Lily asked.

"Well, mum was in Slytherin but I would be happy in any house." Severus replied just as the door opened and two boys looked in, "they all look good to me."

"Mental, all my family has been in Gryffindor, I am James Potter and who are you?" James said to Lily.

Severus studied the two boys and pegged them as rich bullies used to getting their way. James was average height for his age with a rats nest of black hair, hazel eyes behind square glasses he was clad in his school uniform complete with expensive robes and the boy next to him was clad much the same way. He was tall, stocky and had shaggy black hair and grey eyes. Severus remembered his manners, not to be nice but to throw these two boys off their game. Lily was just nice, and smiled at the boys which got them to take a seat across from them.

"Lily Evans, muggleborn, I read all the Mary Graham books of course but I still think there is so much to learn!" Lily replied.

"Well you will do fine, sound like a Ravenclaw to me." The tall boy said, "I am Sirius Orion Black the third, but you can call me Sirius."

"You said you don't care what house you go to?" James said to Severus, "no, and I am Severus Snape, half-blood. To me I am here to make friends, learn and have fun."

"Hope you don't end up in Slytherin." James said getting Severus to count mentally to ten. In Latin.

"Well, if I do I can change them from the inside out, they have fallen far as much as I can see, or so my mum says." Severus said, "you said you will be Gryffindor?"

"Why yes! Home of the brave, all my family has been." James replied puffing out his chest.

"Well say I end up in Slytherin and you Gryffindor, we should be friends." Severus said. "Can't see why not, it would be fun, not anything any would expect."

"Like a prank on the school?" James said grinning, holding out his hand "as long as you promise to never go dark!"

"I promise, as if being dark is fun at all! No it's light for me, even if I am in Slytherin!" Severus said.

"James are you sure?" Sirius said, "it could be a trap."

"As if I would do that!" Severus said coldly, "not like you Blacks…"

"What is that to mean?" Sirius snarled.

"Well the Blacks once were a good family but everyone knows you all have gone dark…"

"No fighting!" Lily snapped, "we all can be friends!"

"Fine." Sirius said looking murderous, he would take care of Severus in the common room tonight.

"Fine." Severus said thinking the same thing.

Yet that evening the sorting did not go as either Sirius or Severus thought. Sirius, to his horror ended up in Gryffindor and Severus did end up in Slytherin. Lily ended up in Gryffindor and much to the annoyance (at least on the inside) Severus was taken under the wing of one Lucius Malfoy. Oh joy, now he had to deal with the Malfoy family, a foreign family that had only been in England three hundred years. Who was he to have airs over one like him? Yet Severus swallowed his pride and made sure that very night to put up the ward stones his mother sent with him around his bed and stuff. Until he could cast those spells himself this would have to do as he was not sure he could trust his housemates as of yet.

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_No matter what I see Severus as a Slytherin, yes he will be friends of a sort with James, he has been raised to form allies by his mother. His father does not mind his magic at all as he has had a major say in how Severus was raised. He is a strict but loving father and Severus knows a lot of the muggle and magical world. He knows of magical families too and knows that the Potter family is a power in the magical world. He may not always like him but he is smart enough to make alliances. James here well_

_His mother has changed too and got her brand of revenge on the magical world. Here she was forced out to save her life and did the most Slytherin thing I could think of. She started to help change that world she had been cast from. While the magical world is more open here to muggle things not all is rosy, the death eaters and Voldemort have more fuel to the fire with the "corruption of the magical world" which clearly is not the case._

_James here is not OOC, in fact the train ride could have changed so much if they (James and Severus) had been civil to each other. James is thinking on a large prank in being friends with Severus and Severus, well we know what he is thinking. _

_As for how Severus gets on with Petunia, remember he looks up to his father and would not see Petunia as "only a muggle", in fact why could they not be friends? Let's face it they are not the best looking and Lily is a stunner, and here Petunia and Severus have a few things in common._

_Anyway, do review please!_


	3. A Small Turning Point

October 31, 1972: Hogwarts Scotland,

Severus checked himself in the mirror for the umpteenth time and was satisfied with what he saw. A costume party for the students under fourth year was a brilliant idea and with a few meetings, some strict rules and the like there would now, for the first time in a long time be a masquerade ball at Hogwarts for students fourth year and up. It had been nearly a hundred years since one was had and many though the tradition would be great for Halloween and Samhain both as Samhain started on the eve of Halloween and went through the even of All Saints day. Those that worshiped the pagan gods and goddesses would head out like they did each year for the sacrifice of the goat, which was done each Samhain and Beltane to appease the gods and goddesses. The majority of the students were Christian but understood that there were those that still worshiped the old way and let them do so.

So little Severus, though not so little really if one thought about it stood looking at his costume. He was clad in a loose white shirt under a long dark green waistcoat that had a silver sash with a large belt over it and a sword attached. Pinstriped baggy trousers were tucked into Wellingtons charmed to look like pirate boots. His potions bandana (to help keep his already greasy hair from ending up worse) was on his head along with a tri-corner hat. He drew on a long 17th century style coat and smirked, he looked great! He walked into the common room and saw that all those going to the party were clad as pirates and realized this was going to be a great prank on the professors when all the students from first to third year showed up as pirates! Who said there could not, at times be inter-house co-operation! He walked to the common room and saw Avery and Nott, two seventh years there, he smirked and smiled at them.

"So the half-blood brat shows his face." Amos Avery said coldly.

"You are just jealous that I am so very powerful." Severus replied. "You cannot best me!"

"You should learn your place!" Nott snarled.

"I have, I will become the best potions master this world has ever seen and help others with what I make." Severus replied, "now if you excuse me I have a party to attend."

With that he headed out and Nott glared at him but did not dare hex him, each time he did the curse came back at him and he had to duck. Severus carried a rune stone around with him and was getting good at his own magic, but it still was good he carried his mother's protection with him like he did. He exited the dungeons and headed up to the third floor and the smaller but still very nice ballroom set here. He saw the other there all clad in their pirate best and Lily, Lily was stunning in a modest yet still terrifying female pirate costume with full skirts in green with matching coat, a red waist coat and crisp white shirt. Her had was done up and Severus smiled at her and the others here. He nodded stiffly to Sirius and stood by James, Mucliber and Thomas Avery (the younger brother of Amos and an alright fellow if at first he was a bit too much into the pureblood mania) and Regulus who glared daggers at his brother.

"So my brother annoying you again?" Thomas asked Severus.

"Yea, but I can handle him." Severus said, "he is not nearly as smart as you."

"He is an idiot, wants to join this new dark lord." Thomas said.

"But the dark lord wishes to bring our world back to it's glory." Regulus said.

"As if, his idea is that only purebloods deserve anything and everyone else should be wiped out." Severus replied, "but rumor has it he is not pureblood but the son of a whore and a muggle."

"That is not true!" Regulus shot back.

"Keep telling yourself that." Sirius said walking up, "your dark lord will burn the world and all of us in it!"

"You are a traitor to the family!" Regulus snarled.

"I am far more in line with the family than you ever will be!" Sirius countered.

Before wands could be drawn and a fight start McGonagall came in and with a few words food appeared on the tables at the side of the room. The children were kept entertained by the activities and no-more was said about the tension outside the school at this time. The children had a great time and those here were back in their common room by ten, filled with good food and sweets ready to fall into bed. Severus made sure his area around his bed was well warded and even slipped a ward-stone to Thomas, Thomas was a good friend and Severus really could not ask for better. Oh James Potter was a friend but he could be a bit immature and some of his pranks got Severus to beat the stuffing out of him and Sirius both. Thomas was a lot like him and he liked having a good friend like that.

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November 5, 1972: London England,

Eileen was worried, this new dark lord was something to be feared and she had acted. She had spoken to Tobias and he knew they needed help, he hated to have to do this but knew it had to be done. Once more Great Britain had to reach out to America for help, well the magical part, they had to have a way to help magically right? Of course now Eileen had to convince Dumbledore that they needed help as America was known to have dark lords and ladies for lunch if the rumors were correct. It was why she had written one American, originally from Serbia, educated by his godmother in magic at home and schooled well in muggle schools, headed to France where science was king and from there finally to America.

Nicolas Tesla, a long lived human wizard, very few humans magical or not lived beyond two hundred years. Some did, Merlin was known to have lived nearly a thousand years, he even went to Hogwarts and was sorted to Slytherin when he was near five hundred years old! He of all people did not need a magical education as he had created the modern magical world complete with utterly destroying all magical slave bonds (the house elves or brownies wanted to be bound as it meant food and safety) and making it so that all magical children would be found at birth for all the world. But that was another story and a long one, and Nicolas was another long lived wizard as he had aged slowly, so slowly he had to use rune stones to hide his age from the muggles. When he realized he had to leave the muggle world he hid his work and Nikola Tesla "died" in 1943. He was here now as he understood Europe as he had lived there for nearly thirty years of his life. Dumbledore was not really amused that this man was here but he did need help and if this muggleborn American could help he would have to allow it.

"Why did you invite Tesla here?" Dorcas Meadows asked, "he is an American!"

"Your new dark lord, he is quite the evil." Tesla replied, "I have had experience with dealing with such things, I know of things he does not. I lived much of my life in two worlds, mundane and magical and know of things in the mundane world that can help…"

"No! Bad enough those books had to come out!" Caradoc Dearborn snarled, "I will not have us use such savage methods! We are no blood traitors."

"Would you rather your people suffer and die under this foul creature?" Tesla asked.

"I say we see what he has to offer, I do not like change but if it will save lives than I am for it." Elphias Doge said.

"I agree, what if this dark lord starts to target those of us from old families?" Molly Weasley nee Prewitt asked.

"I agree, we need 't use what we kin to bring down this evil." Alastor Moody said.

"All in favor of allowing the Americans to help us?" Dumbledore asked and nearly all the hands raised, "very well than the motion carries."

This would help turn the tide of the war, oh many good people would still die but this time, this time death eaters would fall too, and many would say it was far more merciful than putting them in Azkaban. Yet today the terms and such were hammered out, what the Americans could and could not do, how they could help and where they were allowed to go. Still it was a move forward and everyone here was sworn to secrecy and it was clear that this operation was "off the grid" the magical part of the American government knew that there was a small force helping the English but as they had to deal with a harsh and evil magical army and that was keeping them very busy.

Yet any help was needed as no-one else had come to the aid of magical Britain nor would they, not after WWII and Grindelwald's attempt to take over the magical portion of Europe while Hitler and his goons took over the muggle (Grindelwald had noting to do with Hitler contrary to popular belief). Magical Britain they thought had not done enough to fight Grindelwald and Dumbledore was late in his help. So they would not come and help nor could they, they had the eastern block to deal with as the Soviets used magicals to try and stop the west as well as mundane. Such was the way of things in 1972 at the height of the cold war and one of the worst times a new dark lord could come to power.

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_So yes Voldemort is still rising to power. Ever wonder why exactly magical Europe did not come to the aid of magical England in the Harry Potter series? This was the height of the cold war when the USA (my country ) and the USSR (the enemy of freedom, it really was too) were locked in a lethal kind of dance. You cannot imagine the fear at the back of your mind worrying if the Soviets would shoot at you. You knew that the USSR had nukes pointed at you and you had them pointed right back. One wrong word, and well those who lived through it know what I am talking about and there is no coincidence that JKR had Voldemort rise in the 1970s. It would have been a time he could have done so as really there was a war, a cold war going on and Europe could not help stop him. Magical or not the cold war would have effected the magical world as the Soviets would have used their magicals against the western magicals._

_So now I have a handful of Americans coming to help. Again only a handful as this is the height of the cold war (yes I am drilling that in but for a reason) and America was on the front lines 24/7. Yes I could not help myself in having Nikola Tesla still alive and a wizard. Yea I did change the spelling of his name as Nikola Tesla is dead and a reinvented Nicolas Tesla is alive. I could go on but better stop here._

_Do review please!_


	4. True Friends Like These

February 10, 1973: Hogwarts, Scotland:

Remus Lupin woke up slowly feeling still so very tired, stiff and sore. This last change was really hard as he was starting to go through puberty and the monster was responding in kind. If only he did not have the monster to deal with the other benefits of being a werewolf would not be so bad, the accelerated healing, sharpened senses, that sort of thing. He opened his eyes and saw Severus here reading a book, by him was James, Sirius, Peter, and McGonagall? She knew of his secret but why was she here? Then it hit him, his friends knew, now they would not be his friends and he was doomed! Maybe McGonagall had them here to swear not to tell anyone? Yes that had to be it.

What he was not aware of was the fact that Severus had found out first and had done research into the werewolf. He had to ask his mother as he was doing a project on werewolves and there were no good books to be had at Hogwarts about those. He did not tell her that the project was a student. She had found a translated Chinese book on werewolves that did not offer a cure but did offer certain easy to be had potions to help calm the wolf and one thing that caught his eye. A werewolf would attack humans and only humans in werewolf form. However most animals, and if true friends became Animagmus than there change would be that much easier. That was why McGonagall was here, Severus was not going to practice something this dangerous on his own and he had got the other boys in on it too to allow her to help teach them.

"Yes we know you blasted wolf." Severus said with no hint of malice behind his words, "but we can help."

"Yea, I think it is cool myself!" James said, "we can learn to be an Animagmus and be with you!"

"How can that help?" Remus asked.

"Severus found a book, and it says loads about Werewolves." Peter replied, "we could be with you in the shack when you change and all and you should not harm yourself while we are there."

"Yea, besides you just have a furry little problem, and don't want to be a monster, not like Greyback was." Sirius replied.

"Was?" Remus asked.

"Yea, someone took one of those muggle rifles and shot him full of silver bullets, him and his pack." Sirius said.

"Oh, well I suppose that is good." Remus said.

"Besides, you are part of our pack, our family." James said.

"Yes, and that is where I come in." McGonagall said, "I will teach you how to become Animagmus, then you will register on the secret registry most Animagmus need anomy and that is why so few are known and registered publically. Now if I am to teach you, you are to keep up your grades, keep out of trouble and promise you are doing this for the right reasons am I clear?"

The boys agreed as one and Remus felt a warmth come over him. He had never thought his friends would ever agree to stay his friends after finding out what he was, yet they had. He was happy and felt far freer than he had ever felt before in his life. He was able to fall asleep knowing he had good friends and that they would not ever let him down.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

February, 11 1973, Cokeworth England:

Professor R John Lupin looked around as he stepped off the train station and saw that this was much the same as any industrial town in England. Same drab buildings coated with soot and grime, same narrow mean streets, yet there was something else. He could see painted flowerboxes on window sills, trees planted on streets where there was room, light posts that looked as if they came out of the last century painted green instead of the modern ones he so hated. Children were still clad in second hand clothes (but this was the norm even for middle class children who's parents saved their money that way for other things, like sweets, a telly and books) well fed and happy.

He saw Robert and Tobias, both head of the Grimm Books LTD headquartered out of Cokeworth and with twenty stores across England now. They were clad in tailored but not expensive suits and ties and both looked to be down to earth men. John knew these two had something to do with ten dead werewolves and though he was grateful for that he really wished he could have had a hand in destroying the one that turned his son into a monster, well a monster once a month that is. He had thought his boy would never go to Hogwarts and yet Dumbledore and the other heads of houses allowed it. McGonagall saw no problem with it, Slughorn though it a great way to gain more prestige, Sprout was all about giving a sweet boy with a horrible condition a chance and Flitwick was wanting to see what magic could be used to help Remus.

"Ah good to see you Professor Lupin." Tobias said taking his hand and shaking it. "good to finally meet you!"

"And you, as well." John said, "your letters were very informative."

"I do hope so." Robert replied, "the office is this way, we can talk there."

John followed them wondering what was going on, they were not talking to him because of his being a professor at Cambridge, that he knew. It had to do with him being a wizard and his connections to that world. They entered the office where John was surprised to see a slip of a girl, barely in her teens waiting for them. She had pretty strawberry blond hair and was clad in a gown of blue that matched her eyes. She had on Mary-Jane shoes, white stockings and an apron and looked every bit the domestic girl that John had a feeling she really was not, not fully. He took a seat and waited for the others to dismiss the girl, but they did not.

"She is trusted, this is Petunia Evans." Robert said, "my eldest daughter and as muggle as I and Tobias are, but she is smart and well she was doing poorly in that girls school, not grade wise but the girls."

"It was not that bad dad, honest." Petunia said quietly.

"They bullied you, and you did not deserve that." Robert said, "she is home now, going to secondary school here and now able to really work on her talents, better baker than my dear wife, great with tools and smart too. She is as part of the magical world now as I am."

"We may be muggles and have no magic but we have family in that world and we need to do what we can to keep them safe." Tobias said, "my wife was willing to give up everything for me, even magic I feel I have to do what I can to make the world she grew up in safe though."

"Petunia is here because she has ideas for to who this dark lord is." Tobias said, "we wanted to run it by you first as well you are good at codes, your work in world war two proves that."

"That is suppose to be classified." John muttered.

"Well yes, but what we do too is classified, we help against the Soviets and this dark lord too." Tobias replied.

"Severus's mum had an idea that this dark lord Voldemort was one of her classmates." Tobias said, "gave Petunia here a list of the names of boys in her year, well the Slytherin ones and only one stuck out."

"Right, well we know he says I Am Lord Voldemort right?" Petunia said writing it down and another name, "Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"And it comes out as I Am Lord Voldemort." John breathed, "wow, we need to find out all we can on this Riddle fellow, good work Petunia."

Petunia smiled, please as anything, all her work to try and fit in at that school had not worked and her parents had seen that. They had brought her home and she had thought herself a failure, but Tobias was able to help, he was the only muggle in a magical family and he knew what she was going through. She wanted to be magical, just as he did and neither ever would. But they could help set things right even if they had no magic, this dark lord would not see the worth of muggles until it was too late, they would see to that. Petunia had gone to secondary school in Cokeworth and began to bloom as she worked on her talents and what she was good at. Who cared if she was not pretty like her sister or magical? She had lots of talents, things Lily could not do and she was proud of being who she was, most of the time, she of course still had her days after all.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

May 5, 1974: Hogwarts, Scotland:

Severus grinned, bloodied, bruised but victorious as he turned from throwing the quaffle through the hoop to see Taylor catch the snitch before James could. It was close, very close but in the end Taylor was that much faster than James and she caught the snitch smiling broadly. They had won the Quidditch cup and Severus flew to his fellow housemates and they all hugged and cheered. Landing they turned and shook the hands of the Gryffindors, in years past their would have been a fight but not now. Many students were friends with those in other houses though Slytherin did face bias still and had a long road to go.

It did not help that the majority of the dark lord Voldemort's followers came from his house, no that did not help at all. Slytherin house was divided too between those that refused to support the dark lord and saw him as nothing but trouble and those that would die for him and were willing to spill blood even in the common room to prove it. This was when Slughorn stepped in and proved that he was a very good leader of his house. He put up wards to prevent any fights in the common room or anywhere in his house, it was drastic but that was the only way to stop anyone from being killed. It took a lot of his own magical power to keep those wards up and in the end this is what stopped the fighting, though the house might not get along they cared about their head of house and so a truce was formed so that Slughorn did not end up using his power to keep them in line.

"Oi Snape you get hit in the head with a bludger?" James asked getting Severus to look up at him.

"What Potter?" Severus asked.

"I wanted to know if you wanted me to fix your nose?" James asked, "looks bad, you are bleeding all over the place."

"No, your healing spells never go right." Severus replied.

"Here let me, you lot can never do this right." Lily said walking up and casting a healing spell, "I am being trained by madam Pomfrey and I have permission to do this, you do not."

"I was trying to be nice." James said.

"Oh really, nice like charming the suits of armor to sing?" Lily said, "or using first years as decorations on the Christmas trees?"

"In all fairness they volunteered and were paid for that." Sirius said, "they got all the sweets they could handle from Hogsmeade when we went."

"That was you!" Lily said.

"They were happy Lily." Severus said.

"You. Helped. Them." Lily said going pink in rage, "Severus Tobias Snape I thought you had a few brain cells guess I was wrong!"

"We did not hurt anyone." Remus said, "everyone was fine!"

Before Lily could go off on the boys Severus was swept up by his team to have a celebratory party in the Slytherin common room. Sure things were not perfect in the world but for the moment the children could be just that, children and enjoy a hard fought victory in a game instead of the pain and suffering going on outside the school. A few students snuck down to Hogsmeade and got some Butterbeer and snacks from Honeydukes. The proprietor knew about the tunnel to his shop and would leave a few crates unprotected for the students, as long as they left payment he would continue this for them and turn a blind eye to them coming through his shop into the village even. It was not as if anyone who meant harm could come through his store, not with all the protections he placed on his shop. It was a place for fun and happiness and he knew that sweets could help lift spirits in such hard times like this.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

_So yes Severus is good friends with some Gryffindors. Though James can be a prat he is still a good kid mostly. I think if things had gone differently Severus would have been a great asset to Remus and others with the Animagmus training and I do think he would have involved McGonagall too. She would be perfect to help them in this and would too. As for the other heads of houses knowing Remus was a werewolf, no way would they allow him in the school if they did not know. They had no idea what house he would be in and the heads would need to know about his condition to help him after all._

_Yes Petunia is going to be a help here, she was no dummy in canon, and here she has no time to get spiteful. She will be a great help against not just Voldemort but others too you can bank on that. She will still have her moments, she is still jealous of her sister you can bet on that but as she has more of a part to play it will not be as bad._

_Yes I know that James was a chaser in the books, but who is to say he was always that? Could have been a seeker for a while, where did Harry get that talent of his after all? Yes I have Severus on the team, it would be a good way for him to gain the protection he would need against the darker elements of his house, as much as they loathe those like him his house would not dare attack their star player. Besides we know Severus can fly on a broom, so this to me is not a stretch. Though Slytherin is still so very much divided there will be a truce for a time._

_Anyway, thank you for your reviews and continue doing so! _

_It's how I get paid after all!_


	5. Two Wrong Sides and One Right

November 18, 1975: Hogwarts, Scotland,

The Shrieking Shack was quiet this full moon on the outside. However if one listened very closely and was brave enough to get close to the building they would hear faint sounds of animals inside. Inside in a top room close to a roaring fire in a fireplace a gray tabby cat with green eyes sat on the mantel watching several animals before her. One was a large five point stag, another a big black shaggy dog, another was a small rat one was a dark wolf with yellow eyes and once was a gray wolf with a small fluffy tale and blue eyes. These were James Potter aka Prongs as the stag, Sirius Black aka Padfoot as the dog, Peter Pettigrew aka Wormtail as the rat, Severus Snape aka Shadow as the wolf and Remus Lupin aka Moony as the werewolf. The tabby cat, Minerva McGonagall was Tabby and she looked pleased in her cat form as she took in her students.

They had worked very hard to end up here like this, Peter was the first one to transform, then Severus, James and finally Sirius. They had practiced for weeks before they had come out here for this first evening with Remus. He was doing very well, he had been transforming at the full moon and staying with Tabby and it made his life so much easier. With an Animagmus there to be with him he did not tear himself up nor was he as tired. In fact he could curl up and good to sleep and wake the next morning a bit sore but well. Now Moony had lots of friends to play with and he could not hurt any of them and did not want to!

_Friends play?_ Moony said to the others.

_Only inside._ Tabby replied sternly, _no outside, not safe_.

_Want to play outside_. Padfoot whined.

_Shut it you dog_! Shadow growled.

_We stay here, Tabby boss_. Prongs replied.

_Warm and big, I like it_. Wormtail added.

In the end the five boys did stay inside for the time being. But McGonagall wanted them to have some freedom, if it could be made safe and so she went to an old friend deep in the forbidden forest. The territory and lands of the Centaurs here in all of Great Britain. Morgana the elder was the leader of the centaurs as the centaurs always had the oldest as the full leaders. She was never seen at the edge of the forest, only the young stallions were there as the rest of the herd stayed in the cool depths of the forest. McGonagall had a long way to go so she flew on a broom and came to the caves that Morgana and her herd called home. The aged centaur was home, and though ancient her hair was as dark as that on her tail and her flanks a glossy brown. She was seated on a pile of soft furs and clad in purple wool and white ermine fur.

"You came about the werewolf." Morgana said in greeting, "he can run the forest, many werewolves do, we keep them from the village."

"You knew, of course you knew." McGonagall said, "there are others, Animagmus, you let me run your forest, but if they pledge to stay in the forest can they run with the werewolf?"

"They are very young, they are the problem, not the werewolf, we have ways to help the werewolf stay tamer, we run with them, they will not harm us, they harm humans only. But the others are the problem."

"Yes they are young, but they would be with me." McGonagall replied.

"Bring them here, I will speak to them and see if they are old enough to be allowed to run our forests."

"Thank you lady Morgana." McGonagall said, "now is there anything I can help with?"

"We would like a hedge placed between the school and forest, and along the forest edge and Hogsmeade. You need to turn the vale into a fortress, dark times are coming."

"What do you mean?" McGonagall said dread in her heart.

"Dark times, speak with the humans with no magic, but their children are here, they can help."

"That I can do." McGonagall said.

With that the meeting was over and McGonagall flew back to the school. She spoke with Hagrid who was more than happy to get started on the hedge the centaurs asked for. He used a magical variant of the boxwood plant to create the hedges. Professor Babbling created rune stones and a nice gate for the hedgerow that would keep students out of the forest and only allow those the centaurs gave permission in. It took most of the winter to get this done, it was only ten feet high at this point and four thick but over time it would get taller and stronger over the years.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

March 17 1976: Cokeworth, England:

It seemed this meeting room above the main bookstore in Cokeworth was now becoming the best meeting place for those fighting the war. Dumbledore was now here even with his order as most here were part of the order. All were under oaths that could kill if they broke them, Tobias was the one to insist on it and John backed him up. With a bit of rune work from Eileen those here had protections from the Imperious curse as well as any mind curses on top of that. It was clear why dark families had wanted her and why she had to go into hiding, she was a rune mistress of the highest order and only professor Babbling could top her. All her help was going to be needed as the ministry had sunk to a new low as the war on Voldemort was now growing more violent and darker each day.

"They can't be serious!" Charlus Potter, James Potter's father snapped, "they cannot do this, what happened to following the common law that even the magical world agreed to before the separation?"

"Well, they are going to do it." Dumbledore said, "and have started, already three wizards are headed to Azkaban for being death eaters."

"You mean for not supporting the ministry fully." Growled Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. "I may be an Auror, but this I cannot condone."

"Agreed, which is why we have a way to help the magical world here in Great Britain at the least." Dumbledore said, " the queen knows of us and will help us."

"The purebloods will not stand for this." Eileen said.

"Oh we will, better serve under the queen than rot in Azkaban because you do not like the color of the minister's knickers, or the fact that he wears knickers instead of…."

"Dear." Dorea said fixing him with a glare.

"Right, so how will this work, I mean we will need safe zones set up." John said.

"And we have them." Elphias Doge said, "Diagon Alley district, yes that does include Knockturn as well, Godric's Hallow and Hogsmeade Vale."

"Well and good but we need more than rune stones to protect them." Babbling said, "in fact the we just used the fortress boxwood around the forbidden forest, that could work, well not on Diagon Alley but if we charge the gargoyles on the roofs that should provide enough protection there."

"The ministry will not like this." Fabian Prewitt said.

"Which is why we do like it." Gibeon Prewitt is identical twin said, "and if we have support of the queen there is nothing that the ministry can do about it per the agreements signed. The statute of secrecy signed in 1689…"

"Do stop you swot, what he means to say is that part of the statute signed did give power to the head of the nation the magicals were in if certain things were not done, such as trials for all thought guilty of a crime, the banning of the use of torture and the like…"

"How are Dementors legal then?" Tobias asked, "that is torture, I mean yea it has t' be hard to keep ye lot locked up if you do wrong but Dementors are demons!"

"Some loophole, and another is the fact that when a magical nation is at war certain things are allowed."

"Seems like a IFM treaty needs to be signed to stop this sort of thing." John said.

"You are correct and there is one in the works." Dumbledore said, "Europe has yet to sign, they are sticking with their ICW charter, and sadly only the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and much of the far east are the only ones to sign."

The war had not been going well, though Greyback and most of his pack were dead, and here in Great Britain were too scared to fight. Wither they were scared of the death eaters or the ministry who would punish them severely if they defended themselves it was not a good time to be a magical in magical England. The only way to save lives was to flock to the safe zones and stay there, the ministry would hardly dare attack Diagon alley as it was an international trading area nor would they dare attack Godric's Hallow the reported burial place of Merlin himself. As for Hogsmeade vale, well they could try but if they had enough magical there to defend the place the ministry could not get to them.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

June 25, 1976: Hogwarts Scotland:

Severus flopped down in the gathering, a place that friends of all houses could gather in Hogwarts. Someone had come up with the idea as there were more friends now gathering from other houses and this seemed like a great idea. Banners hung on the wall for each house and the School banner hung above a large fireplace. Sofas and chairs were around the room and right now the fifth and seventh years were recovering from their OWLS and NEWTs respectively. Severus just hoped he had passed, well he knew he passed potions, charms, transfiguration, Herbology, history and defense against the dark arts and he had passed ancient runes with flying colors. No, he was worried about Arithmancy and really hoped he had done well, if not his mother was not going to be happy with him. James came in and fell in a heap on the floor with Sirius not far behind. Remus sat next to Severus who looked up at him wearily.

"I just hope I did well enough with Arithmancy." Remus said.

"I know what you mean, the…."

"Would you to shut it about exams." James said, "my head hurts and you two are not making it better."

"Put something in it than maybe it will not hurt." Severus shot back.

"See this is why I don't like you." Sirius said, "you can't say anything nice."

"Maybe if you gain a brain Black than I will consider it." Severus said silkily. "Inbred idiot."

"F-"

"No not here!" James hissed.

"Have you read this?" Lily said walking up and throwing the Daily Prophet at Severus, "of all the nerve!"

Severus read the article, he was warned of this and now it seemed the ministry had acted. Rather stupidly in fact and tried to take Diagon alley. They had lost, IFM guards stood duty now in the alley, Aurors of the Ministry now were camped outside the Leaky Cauldron to stop any who tried to enter that way. Between Voldemort and the ministry many were not sure who was worse. Severus thought things were getting better with them, that they had opened up but this latest proved they had not. He wondered just how they were to get back home, sure the platform was safe but the minute the students stepped into Kings Cross proper they would be separated from their parents.

"We are not taking the train back." Lily said, "in fact mainly students will stay in Hogsmeade with their families."

"Will you?" Severus asked.

"No, mum and dad moved to Godric's Hallow, it's where all the muggle born parents are at."

"My parents aren't." Severus said glumly, "doubt they would let them in."

"I will ask mum." Lily replied, "they have a right as your dad is a muggle."

"Maybe, but how are we to get to Hogwarts next year?" Severus asked.

"We did this with out a train for hundreds of years, we will just go back to that." Sirius replied, "train stupid idea anyway, not safe."

"It is fun though." James said, "I will miss that."

"Safety is more important." Peter said walking in, "we have to keep secure after all."

"I am in agreement with that." Thomas said, "though my father does not want to leave ministry controlled lands."

"You will stay safe this summer?" James asked.

"Should, the ministry has no reason to come after our family." Thomas replied.

"What of the dark dork?" Sirius asked. "Still trying to kill off the magical world?"

"As far as my brother says he is." Thomas replied, "this dark lord is pure evil but my brother does not see that, I wish he did."

As bad as the ministry was the dark lord Voldemort was worse, he had attacked one muggle village but was repelled. Someone was working hard to keep the muggles safe and out of this war and it was working, the magical people though were not so lucky. Those who refused to bow down to Voldemort were slaughtered, and this got many good families to flee great Britain. The records of muggleborn in the ministry were put under a charm by the head of the unspeakables so that Voldemort could not target the muggleborn. Still he did find a few of them and killed them in gruesome ways, pictures of the dead ended up in the paper and this fueled the flames for the ministry to act how they did. There were few beacons of light left in magical Britain at this time and one could only wait and see where the war would take them next.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

_Yes, things are getting uglier here, Voldemort has a huge following, remember that I stated there would be more fuel to the fire with the pro-muggle books? Yea here it is, they were a great idea but the majority of the pureblood faction is now on Voldemort's side. They make up a minority of the magical population in this story but they are powerful and want only to keep that power. The new way of doing things does not work for them. _

_The ministry too is not nice here and is locking people up without trials of any kind, so much so that places of refuge had to be created. Expect more violence and the like, oh and Moody is interesting here. I have him as a good guy in a bad situation, he is trying to keep law and order but with the ministry going further and further away from what he knows is right, well there is trouble brewing. _

_Again as this is the cold war era magical Europe cannot do much but keep the Soviets at bay, as long as magical Britain does not go to communism they can pretty much do as they like. This was how things were in the cold war, to keep nations from going over to the Soviets lots of things had to be done and certain nations took advantage of this fully. They know who they are and I don't need to mention names here, anyway expect a bit more dark times to come. I made the ICW purely western European to answer to the threat of the Soviet Magical Force (SMF) of the KGB. This is to answer to the muggle organization of NATO. _

_The IFM or the International Federation of Magicals is the magical answer (and far more powerful one at that) to the UN in this story. They have not had much to do with magical Europe as they thought the ICW had everything under control. This is not the case in magical Britain so they have stepped forward to help out. The ministry is out of control and now as much an enemy as Voldemort is._

_Please do review, it is how I get paid!_


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